Objective: To summarize the curative effect in treatment of Raynaud's syndrome with chemical thoracic sympathectomy (CTS) guided by X-ray since 2001.
Methods: From March 2001 to August 2007, 97 patients with Raynaud's syndrome (186 limbs) were treated by CTS. Guided by X-ray, a needle was punctured through the back skin to the second thoracic sympathetic ganglion beside the thoracic vertebrae and 2 mL of 5% (v/v) phenol was injected.
Results: The first CTS treatment produced a good effect on 146 limbs with an effective rate of 78.5% (146/186). The same treatment was performed on the limbs with no effect 1-2 days after the first treatment and produced good effect on 13 limbs with an effective rate of 32.5% (13/40). The total effective rate of the patients who were hospitalized for the first time was 85.5% (159/186). Of the 97 patients, 78 patients (80.4%) were followed up for 47 months on an average with an effective rate of 69.5%. And the rate of complications was 11.4% for pheumothorax, and 3.9% for hydrothorax. Hyperalgesia on axillary region and anterior chest wall; Horner syndrome and sinus bradycardia were rare.
Conclusion: CTS is minimally invasive and effective in treatment of Raynaud's syndrome.